The Thailand International Postgraduate Programme, usually shortened to TIPP, is a fully funded Master's scholarship from the Thai government. It is run by the Thailand International Cooperation Agency (TICA), which sits under Thailand's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The part most students miss is how you get in: TIPP is a government-to-government programme, so you generally cannot just fill in a form and hope. Your application is routed through a nominating body in your home country. You can read the full scholarship details on our scholarship page alongside this guide.
That nomination step decides who this scholarship really suits. If you work in a ministry, a provincial department, a public hospital or another government body, and your work touches climate, food security or public health, TIPP is worth a serious look. If you are a fresh graduate with no public-sector link and no idea who your country's nominating office is, expect a harder road. It is still possible in principle, but you should go in with your eyes open.
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Funding | Fully funded |
| Level | Master's |
| Provider | Thailand International Cooperation Agency (TICA), Ministry of Foreign Affairs |
| Country | Thailand |
| Deadline | Around February 23 (confirm the current cycle date) |
| Nomination opens | Several months before the deadline |
| Official site | TICA official portal |
The fields TIPP is built around
TIPP does not fund any Master's you like. It funds study tied to Thailand's Sufficiency Economy Philosophy, plus climate change, food security, public health and other fields connected to the Sustainable Development Goals. That is a fairly specific list, and your study plan should sit clearly inside it.
The Sufficiency Economy Philosophy is a Thai development idea, and it is the theme most foreign applicants know least about. If your planned course falls under it, read up on it properly before you write anything. A vague paragraph that name-drops the term will not help you. A clear link between the course, your current job and a problem back home will.
Thailand's growing role in regional sustainability and public health policy is the main reason these themes make sense to study there. If your career plan is in one of these areas, the fit is natural. If you want a general MBA or a computer science degree with no development angle, this is the wrong scholarship.
What the funding package includes
TIPP is listed as fully funded, and the package is fairly broad. It covers:
- Tuition
- A living and accommodation allowance
- Settlement money for when you first arrive
- A book allowance
- A thesis allowance
- Airfare, which is often included
Note the word "often" on airfare. Do not assume your ticket will be paid until your award letter says so. Exact allowance amounts are not listed here, so check the current figures with TICA or your nominating office rather than relying on numbers you see quoted elsewhere.
Eligibility, and the question of nationality
There are four core requirements:
- You must be a national of a TIPP-eligible country.
- You must be nominated through your country's National Focal Point.
- You need a Bachelor's degree.
- Government-sector employment is often preferred.
The first point is the one Pakistani students need to settle before anything else. TIPP is open only to nationals of TIPP-eligible countries, and the list can change between cycles. Check the eligible country list for your nationality on the TICA official portal before you spend time on documents. If Pakistan is not on the list for the current cycle, there is no workaround.
The fourth point is a preference, not a hard rule. Government-sector applicants may have an advantage, but the wording is "often preferred", so a private-sector or NGO applicant is not automatically excluded. Your chances are simply better if you can show public-sector experience.
On age, there is no single limit for the whole programme. Age limits vary by course, so check the requirements for the specific programme you are targeting in the current cycle.
How the National Focal Point route works
This is the heart of TIPP, and it is where most applicants lose time. The process has two stages:
- Identify your country's National Focal Point for TIPP nominations.
- Apply through that channel, then follow through on TICA's application portal.
That looks short, but the first step can take weeks. The National Focal Point is the office in your home country that handles TIPP nominations. It may have its own internal deadline, its own forms and its own shortlisting, all of which come before TICA ever sees your file. The nomination process runs several months before the TICA deadline, so if you only start looking in January, you are probably already late.
Practical advice: once you have confirmed that your country is eligible, find out which office handles the nomination and ask them directly about their timeline and requirements. If you work in government, your own department's training or HR section may already know the process. Use that.
Paperwork to prepare early
The documents checklist has five items:
- Nomination form
- Transcripts
- CV
- Medical certificate
- Recommendation letters
The nomination form comes from the focal point channel, so you cannot finish it alone. Everything else you can start now. Get official transcripts in hand, update your CV so your public-sector or development work is easy to spot, and approach your referees early. A recommendation from a senior official who has seen your work on a relevant project carries more weight than a generic academic letter.
Leave enough time for the medical certificate as well. It is a simple item, but it is easy to leave to the last week. If your documents need attestation for other parts of the process, our IBCC and MOFA attestation guide explains how that works for Pakistani papers, and the documents checklist for international scholarships is a useful general reference.
Timing around the February 23 deadline
The TICA deadline falls around February 23, but you should confirm the exact date for the current cycle on the official portal. Treat that date as the end of the process, not the start. The real working timeline looks like this:
- Several months before the deadline: the nomination process runs through your National Focal Point.
- Around February 23: the TICA application deadline (confirm the current cycle date).
Because the focal point may close its own window well before TICA does, plan backwards from the earliest date you can find, not from February.
Where applicants go wrong
The most common mistake is trying to apply straight to TICA as an individual. TIPP is generally not a direct-application scholarship, and a file that skips the nomination step is unlikely to go anywhere.
The second mistake is a study plan that does not fit the themes. A strong academic record will not rescue a proposal that has nothing to do with sustainability, climate, food security, public health or the Sufficiency Economy Philosophy.
The third is underselling public-sector experience. If you have worked on a government health programme, a disaster response, an agriculture extension project or similar, put it near the top of your CV and refer to it in your statement. Government-sector applicants may have an edge, and this is where you show you are one.
Finally, do not leave eligibility to the end. Confirm that your nationality is covered, that your target course accepts your age, and that you can actually reach your country's focal point, before you collect a single document. For a wider view of other options, see all Thailand scholarships.
Frequently asked questions
Can I apply directly to TICA without going through my government?
Generally no. Applications are routed through a National Focal Point in your home country rather than submitted directly by individuals. You apply through that channel first and then complete the steps on TICA's portal.
Is TIPP open to Pakistani students?
TIPP is open to nationals of TIPP-eligible countries. Check the current eligible country list on the official TICA portal for your nationality before you start preparing.
Is there an age limit?
Age limits vary by course. Check the current cycle's requirements for the specific programme you want to apply to.
Do I need to work in government to be selected?
Government-sector employment is often preferred, but it is listed as a preference rather than a strict requirement. Applicants with public-sector experience may have an advantage, so make that experience visible if you have it.
Does the scholarship pay for my flight to Thailand?
Airfare is often included, but not guaranteed in every case. Confirm with your award terms before booking anything.
For the current cycle's dates, eligible countries and course list, go to the TICA official portal, and keep the full scholarship page for TIPP handy as you prepare.